{title of show} and DROWSY get Simonized.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 1:57pm

Bad Reviews Here

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 1:59pm

This guy is self serving by thinking his oppinion counts.

[Yero]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 2:01pm

Wow, that guys old.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 2:46pm

What an a$$.

I haven't seen [title], but concerning Drowsy, I think he totally missed the point.
Updated On: 8/6/06 at 02:46 PM

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 2:48pm

john simon is a douchbag, is this somehow new information?

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 2:57pm

Another explanation is the prevalence of show queens in today's audience. These prefer camp to reality, laugh so loud and long at jokes that the show's rhythm is ruptured and we can't hear the next line or two. They contribute heavily to indiscriminate standing ovations and to whooping it up as if applause were not enough.

Really, John Simon? I think you're confusing "show queens" with "rabid fans." Show queens are, like you, the ones who sneer at anything that isn't obtuse and requires listening to the score 20 times before you get all the subtle nuances.

But don't get me wrong. We need show queens, without whom our overpriced theater would be in sorry shape. And they do not have exclusively camp tastes; they like the worthy The Light in the Piazza almost as much as the unworthy Wicked and Spamalot.

Homophobia much?

So what, in my view, is so bad about Chaperone and [title], which, in view of its hollowness should really be abbreviated as [ ]? (The latter, by the way, is according to The New York Times "an absolute must for show queens.")

To quote Glinda in the REAL Wizard of Oz: "come out, come out, wherever you are."
It'd be so much easier just to admit you're a big ol' faggy show queen, John Simon.

Above all, they celebrate the nonentity in the grossest way. [title] suggests that total no-talents can write successful musicals; Chaperone proposes that a flagrantly fantasizing show queen can become the hero of a musical. Formula: enshrine mediocrity in limelight or cutesy brackets, and make nonentities feel self-important.

What amazingly self-important things to say. Clearly, many people enjoy this show. Therefore, they are "Show queens, "overly-eager to make non-talented non-entities popular. Something tells me John Simon's sitting at home listening to "Oh, Kay!" and whining into his victrola about how it should have been him.

As for Chaperone, it consists of an arrantly errant show queen (played fulsomely by the co-author Bob Martin) recalling a fictional 1928 musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, while playing the original cast LP. (Such a trashy musical, even if it existed, would not have been recorded on an LP even if LPs had then existed.)

Again with the show queen, John Simon. Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 2:59pm

Just because you disagree with him, it doesn't mean you have to attack this person, i haven't seen [title of show] but i have seen Drowsy and i agree with all he says. And even if i am going to be attacked by some people here, i am free to express what i think. So i will remain doing so.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 3:02pm

muscle, you seem to be unfamiliar with the body of work of "this person," John Simon. He has fostered a decades-long career out of attacking actors - mostly for their physical characteristics.

He deserves every piece of poop bway or anyone else throws at him.

Updated On: 8/6/06 at 03:02 PM

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 3:04pm

If I actually valued your opinions I'd say something more, but you have demonstrated time and time again that you couldn't tell a pile of **** from an old growth Red Wood.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 3:10pm

Whatever.

[morosco]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 3:11pm

What took him so long to write reviews of shows that have been playing so long?

[Yero]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 3:12pm

Whatever? That's all you have to say?
Nice job.

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 3:25pm

Morosco, I believe he is reviewing their respective cast recordings.

And by review, I mean he's spewing his internalized self-loathing into a paying job.

[leefowler]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 3:27pm

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but didn't John Simon give a rave to "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"? One does get the feeling that his reviews are based more on how he responds to his medications that day than any sort of overall critical viewpoint.

And by the way, even if you don't like the guy, isn't it sort of tragic watching the man's influence get smaller every minute? At this rate, he'll soon be reviewing theater for those newspapers they give away free at supermarkets.

Updated On: 8/6/06 at 03:27 PM

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 3:31pm

Lee, I can't help but imagine that his mood isn't altered by medication but by his manic-depression and self-loathing.
Since Chitty didn't really scream "Gay" and they probably gave him free popcorn at intermission, one imagines it as the source of the rave.

[loverly]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 5:40pm

Yeah, but... he makes me laugh!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 6:21pm

John Simon panning a show. There's a shock (not)

I stopped listening to him a long time ago. His brain is a bit addled

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 6:27pm

Show queens are non-entities?

Since when?

[TomMonster]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 6:59pm

John, John, John, since they fired you from New York magazine this is where you ended up? I doubt they even pay him at Broadway.com. Which, unfortunately, means he can't be fired from there, either...

He is amusing and has an extensive vocabulary, but seems to enjoy attacking people and audiences more than the artistic merit of a show.

Oh well. He's old. We'll miss bashing him when he's dead.

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 7:03pm

"They should contain something universal that, translated, speaks to every part of the civilized world." Clearly very few people use art, music, or any other hobbies, to mentally escape. Must just a select few. *sighs*

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 7:35pm

How about John Simon Bobblehead night @ every theater? With any ticket, you get a free Bobblehead you can hit anytime you want

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 8:09pm

John Simon is the embodiment of misery. He is disgusted by art that in any way brings happiness to people; art that makes people feel like they belong. I think this is mostly because he doesn't belong -- never has, never will.

Updated On: 8/6/06 at 08:09 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 8:11pm

The perfect show for him to critique- the musical version of "Grumpy Old Men"

[harris007]

Posted: 8/6/06 at 9:02pm

wow just wow



and muscle if brooke shields were in drowsy you would have seen it 30 times by now, please

john simon is nothing but a bitter old fart

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 11:42am

"Jeff, what was that bad review in anyway?"

"Broadway.com"

"Broadway.com? Broadway.com can kneel down, open its online mouth, and suck my--"

-[title of show]

Updated On: 8/7/06 at 11:42 AM